Deb Geisler is a professor and reports on a meeting she just had with a student. Seems the student was on the train when some guy started playing with himself - but that when she got off the train and told the conductor, he did absolutely nothing:
... She got to her home station and complained to an MBTA supervisor. She was told that public exposure (1) wasn't a crime, (2) happened all the time, and (3) wasn't worth their doing anything about. (In fact, the supervisor said, "I guess they're targeting redheads now.")
She asked about the MBTA's claims of safety. "Oh, we don't include these incidents in that report." ...
She also told Geisler the supervisor told her they could not get surveillance tapes from Park Street because the cameras there don't work.
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Comments
Ew
By Miss M
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 4:13pm
I'm probably most depressed about the fact that none of this surprises me at all.
Not even counting Boston...
By massmarrier
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 4:23pm
...ordinances, there's a specific state law (Chapter 272:Section 43) covering "Disorderliness in public conveyances; disturbance of travelers." It includes, "Whoever, in or upon a railroad carriage, steamboat or other public conveyance, is disorderly, or disturbs or annoys travelers in or upon the same by profane, obscene or indecent language, or by indecent behavior, shall be punished as provided in section forty."
It doesn't bring a huge penalty, likely the city violations are more severe, but state employees can't choose to disregard crimes under state law.
Oh, and I see that 272:16, "Open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior" can mean three years in jail or two years and a $300 fine.
That conductor and supervisor need to get with the program.
Selective wanking?
By eeka not logged in
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 4:24pm
That's pretty funny that there's a specific statute relating to transportation. But even if there weren't, I'm pretty sure laws like assault and harassment and everything apply, uh, anywhere. It's still rape or murder or assault or mugging when it's on a train, right?
I just posted this on Deb Geisler's journal:
...when I was a clinician in the Dept of Mental Health, we had a number of middle-aged men who'd previously been out and about without meds, usually homeless, stopped to take a pee on a bush somewhere, and ended up convicted of indecent exposure. Which means they're now sex offenders. Makes it hard to get a job or housing.
Apparently it's more offensive to our society for a middle-aged disheveled muttery guy to relieve himself than it is for someone to outright whip it out.
Can we have Dan's head on a
By MBTAssss
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 4:19pm
Can we have Dan's head on a stick now?
Tell this girl to write Dan, the Transportation secretary, and Devals office.
This shit needs to stop!
I'd try the MBTA police
By eeka not logged in
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 4:27pm
As much as people crack jokes about them, they are actual police with the same training as any police department. I'd suggest reporting this sort of thing directly to them. I'm definitely not one to suggest there are never poorly trained or corrupt police, but I'd imagine that most police have more training about sex offenders than your average train operator or ticket seller.
Two possibilites
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 4:27pm
1) this guy doesn't have a daughter that takes the T or
2) his supervisor or relative is the wanker
Third
By BStu
Wed, 02/06/2008 - 9:51am
3) He just doesn't care if a woman gets harassed by some pervert. In my experience, a lot of men little reason not to do anything when women are treated like this.
Tell the Herald
By Ron Newman
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 6:01pm
This is exactly their kind of story.
Seriously
By adamg
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 6:40pm
On the Perv Line, no less.
And that's a good thing,
By Anonymous
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 7:25pm
And that's a good thing, right?
The Herald is sensationalistic
By Ron Newman
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 7:32pm
but that's not always a bad thing. The city would be much poorer if the Herald disappeared.
I like the Herald
By bobmetcalf
Tue, 02/05/2008 - 10:09pm
Five stops on the Red Line, straphanging,
cover to cover...can't heat it.
Plus, Tony Massarotti is the best Red Sox
beat writer in Boston. When does the equipment van
leave Fenway?